The TTC workers’ union is fighting back against a recent move to contract out its members’ jobs, using a million-dollar ad campaign to persuade the public of the value and expertise of the people who keep the system running behind the scenes.

In addition to a dedicated website, the Protecting What Matters campaign, including 90-second ads in movie theatres and 30-second TV spots, comes after a recent cost-cutting decision by the Toronto Transit Commission to hire privatized bus cleaners.

“We believe that there is not enough information out there related to the work our members provide. We want to better inform the public of the responsibilities of our members behind the scenes have and the dedication they have,” said Amalgamated Transit Union president Bob Kinnear.

The ads also emphasize that the TTC is the most efficient transit system in North America, recovering the highest rate of operating costs from the fare box.

“It’s our members that provide that efficiency,” he said.

The ads feature stories about TTC workers on and off the job, including one about maintenance workers who came up with an idea for refurbishing batteries that has saved the system millions of dollars.

The campaign will last about six weeks.

“We think that when you’re talking about a $1.5 billion cost (of ) transit, we think a million dollar cost to better inform the public, the (TTC) commissioners, Mayor (Rob) Ford, we think it’s money well-spent,” said Kinnear.

When the city councillors on the TTC board voted to contract out the bus cleaning last month Kinnear said his union was also considering measures such as a legal work slowdown, withdrawing overtime and overlooking riders who short-change the fare box.

Seventy per cent of TTC operating revenue comes from the fare box but the system still requires a 78-cent subsidy per ride.

Transit officials have promised that none of the unionized bus cleaners will lose their jobs, which pay about $27 per hour on average. But it will take years to phase in contracted workers to potentially save $4.29 million annually.

The city councillors on the TTC board have approved in principle a 5-cent fare increase in the New Year. The budget that includes that hike has not been finalized, however.

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